BEHIND THE TIMBER FENCE : THAI CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Thai migrant workers are a common sight in Singapore. There is an estimated 40,000 Thai workers in Singapore and a large percentage are working as construction workers. Nothing much is known about these people as they spend most of their time within the confines of the construction site. The timber fences that surrounds the site act as barriers which serve to isolate them even further. This study examines what life is like behind the timber fence by looking at the nature of the Thai workers' jobs, their recreational patterns and the social activities that they participate in.